When the Water Rises
by CookiesMakeTheWorldGoRound
Summary: Hermione's sick, and because of Malfoy's dumb comment about Mudbloods, he has to help Madame Pomfrey in the hospital bay...


Saturdays. Madame Pomfrey did not like them one bit.

The only good thing about Saturdays was that the students were all at Hogsmeade (except for the first to third years, of course, and _they_ spent Saturday playing around in their dorms and hopping off to the library, or the Quidditch pitch, or something). This meant she did not have any whining patients.

Not that she didn't enjoy her job. In fact, she loved it. The Hufflepuffs were awkwardly sweet, the Gryffindors were helpful, the Slytherins were actually all right after they shut up about "it hurts so much!", and the Ravenclaws could be tolerated, as long as they didn't start reciting the values of her herbal store. Besides, it made her heart melt to see all the patients' friends crowding around to see if the patient was "all right", even if it _was_ a bit annoying.

Poppy sighed as she strolled to Professor McGonagall's study. She was going to see if Minerva wanted to come with all the professors to have some tea with Dumbledore.

So far, Minerva was nowhere in sight. Madame Pomfrey opened the door of the study cautiously.

"Minerva?"

She was not in there. Madame Pomfrey exhaled. She was probably in the Gryffidor common room lecturing a student on why exactly one should not talk with one's mouth full, lest one should litter the ground with cake crumbs. Poppy set off at a brisk walk. She was remembering the offer of some hot steaming Earl Grey and a scone, and she did not want to wait long for it.

She entered the common room and smiled when she saw the red and gold patterning the walls and above the fireplace. Several students were studying by the armchair, a menagerie of inks set around them. One was scribbling an essay frantically (Snape always gave them too much homework, as Minerva liked to say).

The professor was not here. Poppy could not see the unmistakable tightly bound hair, nor the tall and commanding figure of the Gryffindors' head. At any rate, she should get going. Perhaps Minerva was in the main hall…

A movement out of the corner of her eye made Poppy turn around. It was that Granger girl, the one with bushy hair, the one who had been Petrified not long ago. She was coming down the stairs from her dorm, and she was clutching her stomach.

Poppy went on high alert. Did the girl eat one of the Weasleys' trick sweets again? Madame Pomfrey hoped not. Those were very tricky to recover from, and the patient usually spent weeks in the hospital wing.

Hannah – or was it Herberta? stumbled her way across the room. The girls who were studying had already put their things away, and were bundling up.

"Hermione, you look odd. Are you all right?"

"I'm not feeling well," said Hermione.

"I'm sure it isn't serious. Well, go see Madame Pomfrey. Lavender and I are off to the library. _She _says she wants to study, but the only reason Lav wants to go is to see William, you know, that Ravenclaw?"

Hermione managed a smile. "Thanks, Parvati, have a nice time."

The girls bounced out of the room. Hermione seemed to notice Madame Pomfrey standing there.

"Did you eat something the Weasleys made?" said Poppy suspiciously.

"No," said Hermione. "I just feel awful."

Poppy felt the girl's forehead. Her temperature was far too warm – but she was shivering and clutching her stomach.

"Let's get you to the hospital wing, and I'll check your temperature," said Poppy. She turned back to the Granger girl, only to find her slumped on the floor.

Poppy looked into the hall, where the stairs were still revolving. There were a few students loitering about. The nearest was a tall, white-haired Slytherin and his two friends.

"– won't even notice it until it hits them," he was saying smugly.

Poppy was sure he was up to no good, but figured he looked strong enough to carry the girl.

"Malfoy!" she shouted. Or was it Mumble? Oh well. "I need assistance! Are you able to carry a student to the hospital wing by yourself?"

Malfoy paused.

"If it's a Gryffindor, maybe," he said, smirking. "Their heads have nothing in them, so it makes them lighter."

The two other boys did not bother to muffle their laughter.

Poppy rolled her eyes. Students.

"Then get over here, please."

Malfoy said a few words to his friends, and they walked back down the stairs until they reached their common room.

"Did the student faint?" he said wryly. "Typical of a Gryffindor. They think they're so brave, but they faint for no reason at all."

"That will do," said Madame Pomfrey sourly. "Now, come on."

She pulled him inside and pointed to Hermione.

Malfoy's mouth opened and shut like a fish.

"But – but– that's the Mudblood! I'm not touching a _Mudblood_!"

"I will not have that sort of language in my common room," said a voice behind him.

"There you are, Minerva," said Poppy peevishly. "This boy's helping me get the girl into the hospital wing. She's got a high fever. And Professor Dumbledore would like to know if you would have tea with all the teachers."

"Severus just informed me, but thank you," said the professor. She turned to Malfoy.

"Now, pick up the Granger girl and bring her to the hospital wing. And since you were so easy to judge her on her blood status and her house, Draco, you may help Madame Pomfrey in the hospital wing for the next, say, two weeks, or more, until you learn that a person's value does not depend on their origins."

"_Two weeks_?" said Draco disbelievingly.

"Yes, Malfoy, now get a move on," said Poppy, not bothering to be polite.

They led a silently fuming Slytherin back down the stairs and into the hospital bay, holding an unconscious Gryffindor bridal style in his arms.

Let us end this chapter by saying that the Slytherins were so embarrassed by the other houses' whistling and teasing that they did not sit anywhere near Draco for nearly a month.


End file.
